Buffering ready to take on young rivals in Moir Stakes

Veteran sprinter Buffering is ready to take on his younger rivals in the Group 1 $450,000 City Jeep Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley on Friday Night.

Eight year old Buffering is set to take on his younger rivals in the Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Eight year old Buffering is set to take on his younger rivals in the Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

The evergreen four times Group 1 winner is flying on the tracks and jockey Damian Browne said that if he takes that slickness to the races on Friday, he will be very competitive.

“I suppose when it comes down to it, we are just hoping,’’ Browne told The Courier-Mial.

“I am really happy with the way he is going and he has galloped really well at track work.

“But the big question is whether he will be as good on race day, and that is a question we won’t know the answer to until Friday night.”

Buffering is the statesman of the thirteen horse Moir Stakes field that has three three-year-olds lining up against him.

Exceed And Excel colt Headwater and the two fillies Fontiton and Petits Filous are the young emerging sprinters who are set to replace the older brigade in the near future.

Rain Affair and Le Bonisr are in the same age group as Buffering while Peter Moody’s Group 1 winner Flamberge and classy sprinting mare Angelic Light are both six year olds.

Five year old Ball Of Muscle is fairly lightly raced with fifteen starts, compared to Buffering’s forty-six, and is on the brink of a Group 1 breakthrough following his early Spring Carnival sprinting form.

The Joe Pride trained speedster finished third first up to Shiraz in the Group 3 $125,000 Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Randwick on September 5 and followed that up with a second to Group 1 winner Rebel Dane in the Group 2 $200,000 The Bowermans Office Furniture Shorts (1100m) at Randwick on September 19.

But all eyes will be on the three year old filly Petits Filous who will be tacking Group 1 company for the first time after winning all four of her race starts to date.

The Ciaron Maher trained filly kicked off her career with a win in a 1000m Moonee Valley two year old Handicap in mid July before going on the win over the same course and distance against the three year old fillies in a BenchMark 78 Handicap on the first day of the new racing season.

Maher then stepped the Street Boss filly up to Group 3 company and she led all of the way to win the $150,000 Lister Quezette Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on August 15 followdd by a dominant display to win Listed $120,000 Cap D’Antibes Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on September 12.

Buffering was forced to miss the Brisbane Winter Carnival because of a minor leg injury meaning that he hasn’t been to the races since finishing sixth to Aerovelocitiy in the Group 1 HK$18.5m Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin last December.

Petits Filous heads the Moir Stakes market order with Ladbrokes.com.au at $2.20 ahead of Fontiton at $4.60 with last year’s Moir Stakes winner Buffering on the third line of betting at $7.50.

Moir Stakes market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $2.20 Petits Filous, $4.60 Fontiton, $7.50 Buffering, $8.50 Ball Of Muscle, $10 Flamberge, $11 Angelic Light, $19 Griante, $31 Miss Promiscuity, Headwater, $34 Le Bonsir, $41 Brook Road, $51 Sterling City, Rain Affair.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.